I want to explore something here, very much “thinking out loud.” Perhaps you’d consider commenting below and joining the conversation?
The issue is a tension that I see:
I am an unashamed Christian. I do public Christian ministry. I have an entire podcast dedicated to matters of business and faith. I very much hold the belief that Jesus belongs in business.
At the same time, I very much hold the belief that one should keep politics out of business. One’s political worldview should have no bearing on his or her ability to deliver a great product or service.
Companies like Netflix are seeing the destructive fallout of demanding their employees swallow the bitter pill of wokeness, and have even decided to reverse course. Political activism can be the death-knell of an organization.
And yet, as a Christian, I want people to know why I do business. I want them to know Jesus loves them. I don’t want to “shove Jesus down their throat” (we don’t do that) but I am not ashamed to let anyone know where I stand on matters of faith, which almost without exception bleed into matters of political preference in the current climate.
I guess my question is: Is this hypocritical of me? Is there a difference? Can these two be reconciled? People have a point of view, and I think businesses should have a point of view (at least about particular things) as well. After all, that’s really all that differentiates two similar businesses, right?
I currently reconcile this by unashamedly talking about Christ when it comes up, sharing with others why we do what we do, etc., but I don’t place any sort of limitation on who can work with us or for us, etc., as a result.
Can “faith-full” business owners keep the mission in the forefront while keeping politics and other “battleground” issues out of the way?
What say you?